Insect traps making use of light sources are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,126 to Grothaus et al. teaches the use of an upright array of parallel exposed conductors dimensioned and spaced such that alighting houseflies, for example, virtually have to alight in contact with two such conductors. Opposing pulsating charges cause the houseflies to fly down onto a nontoxic adhesive trapping board. The captured insect can then be disposed of by removing the adhesive sheet. The device taught by Grothaus is disadvantageous because it does not provide means to draw the insects to the light source nor does it disclose use of an ultraviolet source, which has been found to be extremely effective at attracting insects.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,506 to Williams discloses a flea trap comprising a shallow base pan, a sticky substance within the shallow base pan, a light reflecting cover positioned and supported over the pan and an electrically energized green light source. Fleas are supposedly attracted to the reflected and directly radiated light source, jump over the side wall of the shallow pan and onto the sticky substance which prevents their escape and causes their eventual extermination. The reflecting surface of cover (13) is positioned such that downwardly reflected green light as well as downwardly-directed radiated green light is transmitted towards pan (11). The device taught by Williams is disadvantageous in that it does not reflect the maximum amount of light into the surrounding environment, but rather back towards the shallow base pan.
White, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,822, discloses an insect trap which comprises an insect attractant light source and a light-reflective surface on the bottom of the trap. The light emitted from the light source is transmitted directly through a passageway through the bottom of the enclosure; additionally, light is reflected toward the upper end of the compartment. Because the reflective material is attached to the inner surface of the bottom wall of the closure, it is concealed from view. The device taught by White is disadvantageous because it does not reflect the insect attractant light away from the mounting surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,501 to Larkin discloses a flying insect trap which comprises a U-shaped fluorescent light. The device taught by the '501 patent is mounted onto a hinged member, which moves the trap between a light-exposing position and a light-hiding position. If a restaurant, for example, is filled with patrons, the trap may be moved to the light-hiding position to enhance the appearance of the restaurant. The '501 patent to Larkin fails to disclose the use of a reflector.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,690 to Nelson et al. discloses an insect trap mounted on a vertical surface comprising an ultraviolet light used in combination with a reflector. The base and the light source cooperate to form an upwardly facing opening where the insects enter the trap, and for the reflection of the light onto the vertical surface. The device taught by Nelson et al. is disadvantageous in that the insect attractant light is reflected onto the vertical mounting surface, or wall as opposed into the surrounding environment to attract the maximum number of insects into the base.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,624, Phillips discloses an insect trap comprising an insect attractant ultraviolet light and a disposable sticky reflecting surface on which to trap them. A reflector for the trap is a trough-line structure into which the adhesive material slips after appropriate creasing. The holder then attaches to an ultraviolet lamp fixture so that the trap element, on the inside of the holder, acts as a reflector for the lamp, with the sticky surface surrounding the lamp on three sides. The reflector action of the trap element assertedly concentrates the ultra-violet radiation emitting from the open side of the channel to give the effect of a much brighter source of light, which is more attractive to insects. The device taught by the '624 patent is disadvantageous because it reflects light onto a surface which can severely reduce the ability to detect the light, thereby reducing its effectiveness.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,779 to Bilson et al. discloses a luminaire with an arcuate reflector. The reflector is configured to prevent reflected light from passing through the light source although beams of at least one section are directed along paths closely adjacent to the light source. The '779 patent fails to teach the use of the reflector in combination with an insect trap and/or insect-attractant light source.
What is desired, therefore, is an insect trap, which is effective as compared with conventional traps, which utilizes reflected light in a manner so as to increase per unit of time the number of insects attracted to the device, which operates quietly and effectively, without the use of poisons, electrocution or other disadvantageous elements, and which is unobtrusive and easy to maintain.